Car-coupling.



No. 817,001. PATENTED APR. 3, 1906. F. A. RAMEY.

CAR GOUPLING.

APPLICATION FILED ocT.a1, 19o5.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

/'y l@ m w A TTOHNEYS No. 817,001. PATBNTED APR. 3, l1906.

` P. A. RAMEY.

GAR GOUPLING. APPLIOATION FILED 0013.31, 1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

/NVEA/ro FRANCIS/@.AMEY

A TTOH/VE YS UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANCIS A. RAMEY, OF WOODSTOCK, VIRGINIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO GEORGE W. KOONTZ, OF WOODSTOOK, VIRGINIA.

CAR-COUPLING..

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 3, 1906.

Application filed October 31, 1905. Serial No. 285,256.

` of which the following is a specification.

My invention is an improvement in carcouplings; and it consists in certain novel constructions and combinations of parts, as will be hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure l is a perspective view of the entire coupling. Fig. 2 is a horizontal longitudinal section of the coupling. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal vertical section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a vertical crosssection on the line 4 t of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the oscillating section or head ofthe coupling. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the main or body section. Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the locking-dog, and Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the carrier for the dog.

'By my invention I seek to provide an oscillating draw-head section and devices for holdino` the coupling-knuckle in locked posi tion when said section is in normal position and for releasin the locking devices for said coupling-knuck e when the oscillating section is moved laterally in either direction out of its normal position.

As shown, the draw-head A is formed with a main or body-section B and with an oscillating section C, and the main or body section B has a draw-bar D, which may be secured in any suitable manner to the framing of the car.

The body or main section B is provided with a top plate E and a bottom plate F, and the head is provided with grooves E and F in respectively their under and upper faces and with ribs e and f in advance of said grooves, forming a track curving from side to side and e ually on opposite sides of the central line o the draw-head in which the section C oscillates in the operation of the invention. The section C is curved on its rear face to correspond with the curved front face B of the section B, between its upper and lower plates E and F, such section C being provided on its upper side with a curved rib C and on its lower side with a curved rib C2, said ribs operating in the ways formed in the body portion or main section, so the section C may oscillate in the operation more fully described hereinafter. The main section B is also provided in advance of its base-groove F with cam-surfaces F3, inclining upwardly from a central depressed seat F4, in which the lower end of the carrier-bolt J presently'described, rests when the automatic section is in normal position.

The center from which the curved rear end of the section C is formed is approximately in line with the line of draft on the pivoted knuckle II of the section C, so that the draft strain exerted on the knuckle I-I will not tend to oscillate the section O in its curved bearing of the' main section B, so that normally the draft on the section C will not release the locking devices, andthe depressed seat F4 is so related to the lower end of the carrier-bolt J that a limited swinging movement ofthe section C will not interfere with the locking de vices presently described.

The knuckle His pivoted at I-I and is provided with a projecting tailpiece H2, which when the knuckle is in coupled position swings into the mortise C3 in the front end of the section C and engages with and is held by the locking devices, which I will now describe. These locking devices include the dog I and the carrier J for said dog. This carrier J is in the form of an upright bolt having at its lower end a foot-piece J, which rests normally in the seat F1 and rides upon the camsurfaces F3 when the section C is oscillated in one direction or the other. The upper end of the foot-piece Jl forms a shoulder which engages beneath the dog I when the carrier J is raised or forced upwardly and releases said dog I from engagement with the tailpiece and permits the latter to swing forward, releasing the coupling-knuckle. The carrier J extends above the draw-head and may be elevated by hand when it is desired to release the coupling and may also be elevated in case of an accident to release the coup-` ling ,by the engagement of the lower end of said carrier with the cam-surfaces of the draw-head, as before described.

The dog I is of a special construction, which I will now describe. The dog I operates within the mortise C3 and is provided with an opening I', through which the carrier J passes, such opening being sufficiently large to permit the dog to rock slightlyon the carrier J in a direction transverse to the direc- IOO 'tion of draft, so the dog may tilt to permit the passage of the tailpiece H2 in the adjustment of the knuckle H to coupled position. As shown, the dog I is provided in its front face with a recess I2, whose upper wall 't3 is inclined so the engagement of the tailpiece H2 with the dog will lift the same as the knuckle H adjusts to coupled position. Theouter edge of the dog I at I3 fulcrums on an abutment I4 in the base-wall of the mortise C3 in the tilting of the dog in the operation of the invention.

The base-wall of the recess C3 is provided with an upwardly-projecting lug or portion K, which projects upwardly along the inner side of the dog I near the inner end of same and aids in bracing the dog and relieving the carrier J of the strain of the coupling when the tailpiece is engaged with the said dog at the front edge of the latter in the coupled position of the parts.

Means are provided for yieldingly holding thefoscillating section C in alinement with the main section to prevent any accidental displacement of same. As shown, these comprise spring-operated means bearing on opposite sides of the section C and consisting, as shown, of plates L, extending at their front ends along the opposite sides of the sectionvC and provided at their rear ends with` inwardly projecting portions L, bearing against the draw-bar or other portion of the main section, a bolt L2 being passed through the draw-head and plates L and bearing on i its ends springs L3, pressing against the plates L, and nuts L4 for regulating the tension of the springs. draw-head section will be held normally in alinement and yet can be forcibly moved in eitherdirection when desired.

A spring M (see Fig. 2) operates to hold the knuckle normally in position for coupling. This is important, as by retaining the knuckle in position for coupling at all times I avoid the danger resulting from the necessity, in the absence of such spring, of going between the cars to set the knuckle.

As best shown in Figs. l, 2, and 3, I provide what for convenience of reference I term a king-bolt N, being in the nature of a connecting-rod extending from end to end of the car and headed at its opposite ends at N to engage with the oscillating coupling-head and extending thence through a slot N 2, extending transversely from side to side of the back of said oscillating head, and thence through an opening N3 in the draw-bar and engaged at N4 by a draw-keyoperating in connection with the draw-bar, (see Figs. 2

' and 3,) and operating to draw the oscillatingA head back against the main section of the draw-head, as will be understood from Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawings.

- In operation it will be noticed that so longl as the coupled cars are on the track and in By this means the oscillating normal position the coupling devices will hold the cars coupled. If one of the cars should be turned over or thrown down an embankment or otherwise misplaced, it will shift the oscillating section to one side or the other and the carrier J will ride up on one or the other of the cams and lift the dog, releasing the tailpiece and permitting the couplingknuckle to swing forward, thus preventing the vderailment of all the cars of the train.

' The construction is simple, easily operated, and will be found efficient for the purpose for which it is designed.

What I claim isl. The combination substantially as herein described, of the main draw-head section provided with a top plate, and a bottom plate, spaced apart. and provided in their inner faces with grooves forming a track curving from side to side and equally on opposite sides of the central line of the draw-head, an oscillating section provided with ribs fitting in said grooves, a pivoted knuckle on said oscillating section and having a projecting tailpiece, a dog for securing said tailpiece, a carrier-bar for said dog having means for engagement with the dog, and a portion projecting down- Wardly below lthe oscillating section, and cams on the main portion of the draw-head on opposite sides of the central line thereof and adapted for engagement by said downwardly-projecting portion of the carrier-bar when the oscillating section is moved to one or the other side of a central line, and springoperated devices for holding the `oscillating section yieldingly in normal position, substantially as set forth.

' 2. A car-coupling having an' oscillating draw-head section having a coupling-knuckle, devices for locking the coupling-knuckle in locked position when the oscillating section is in normal position, and means for automatically releasing said locking devices when the oscillating .section is moved laterally in either direction out of its normal position.

3. The combination in acar-coupling, with the main or body section, and the oscillating section held thereto, of a king-bolt in the nature of a rod connection extending longitudinally through the main or body portion of the draw-head and engaged with the oscillating head, the latter being movable transversely across the king-bolt, substantially as set forth.

4.' The combination in a car-coupling, with a main draw-head section, of a draw-head section oscillating bodily relatively to the main section and provided with coupling devices, means for locking the said coupling devices when the oscillating section is in normal position, and means for releasing the locking devices when the said section is shifted out of normal position, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination of the oscillating draw- IOO IIO

einem head section having a coupling-knuckle, the main draw-head section having cam-surfaces, a dog for locking the knuckle in coupled position, and means operated Jfrom the cams oi the main section -for releasing said dog.

6. The combination of the main draw-head section having curved Ways, the oscillating section having means held in said Ways Whereby such section may be oscillated bodily in connection With the main section, coupling devices, devices -for locking the coupling devices, and means for automatically releasing said locking devices When the oscillating section is shifted out of normal position.

7. The combination of the main. draw-head section, the oscillating draw-head section, having coupling means, devices for locking said means in coupled position When the oscillating section is in normal position, springoperated devices Yfior holding the oscillating section yieldingly in normal position, and means for releasing the locking devices by the lateral movement ot the oscillating section.

8. The combination oi the main draw-head section, the oscillating draw-head section, having a knuckle provided with a tailpiece, the dog 'for securing the tailpiece, the carrier 'for releasing said dog, and cams on the main draw-head section for operating said carrier, substantially as set forth.

, 9. The combination of the main draw-head section, the oscillating draw-head section, having a knuckle provided With a tailpiece, the dog 'fitting loosely in the oscillating section and having an inclined surface for en U'agement by the said tailpieee, and a carrier 'for bodily shifting the dog to release the tailpiece substantially as set forth.

l0. The combination of the main drawhead section provided With Ways curving 'from side to side for the oscillating section and having in advance of its lower Way a depressed seat for the carrier-bar, and cams on opposite sides thereof', the oscillating drawhead section having means operating in the Ways of the main draw-head section and provided With a knuckle having a tailpiece, a dog `for securing said tailpieee and a carrier for said dog, resting normally in the seat of the main draw-head section and arranged to engage With the cams on opposite sides thereof, When the oscillating section is shifted from normal position, substantially as set" forth.

11. A car coupling comprising a main draw-head section, an oscillating draw-head section provided with coupling devices and oscillating bodily in the main draw-head section, means for locking the coupling devices in coupledv position when the oscillating section is in normal position and means for releasing the said locking means When the oscillating section shifts out o'l' normal position substantially as set forth.

1 2. The combination of the main draw-head section, the oscillating draw -head section, provided with a coupling-knuckle, devices for looking the said knuckle in coupled position in the normal position of the oscillating section, means 'for releasing the said locking devices When the oscillating section is moved laterally out oiE normal position, and springoperated devices for holding the oscillating section yieldingly in normal position, substantially set forth.

FRANCS A. RAMEY.

lVitnesses:

P. A. ROHRBAUGH, J. W. HEPNER. 

